Comparison of three scenes in &amp;#147;Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde&amp;#148;

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Introduction

Comparison of three scenes in "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" Throughout the novel we meet the character of Mr. Hyde three times before we are told who he actually is at the end of the novel. The first time we meet him is in the story told by Mr. Enfield, in a typically dark, sinister, London street. It is about Hyde - "a little man who was stumping along" and a girl of maybe eight or ten. Mr Enfield says he saw "the two ran into one another naturally enough at the corner ... the man trampled calmly over the child's body and left her screaming on the ground". This is typical of Hyde, as he has no consideration for others because he is all evil. Enfield describes Hyde as an inspiring man but in a bad way - "he gave me one look, so ugly that ... ...read more.

Middle

"Will you do me a favour?" - this shows how Utterson takes the commanding position in the conversation. This may be due to ignorance or confidence. In the beginning of this scene Hyde seems to have all the fear, primarily because he does not want Utterson to recognise him as Jekyll. One notices that Hyde stops being overpowered eventually, and reacts with a savage cry when he feels Utterson says something unfitting - "The other snarled aloud into a savage laugh". We also have another mention of what could be supernatural activity - "with extraordinary quickness, he had unlocked the door and disappeared into the house". Once again Utterson describes Hyde as being "pale and dwarfish ... giving an impression of deformity". All who meet Hyde seem to notice his strange appearance, although what is unusual about this meeting is that Utterson was not affected by the unusual man until he had departed from his company. ...read more.

Conclusion

with a shocking expression on his face ... great muscular activity ... and subjective disturbance towards others". This is a great summing up of exactly what Hyde is like, and it seems to be a consistent point of view throughout the three scenes. Lanyon gives a vivid description, almost a diagnosis, with words like "symptoms", and phrases like "sinking of the pulse". This is probably because of sheer interest and the fact that he is a doctor. He also mentions that he has a personal distaste in Hyde, which he blames "on some nobler hinge than the principal of hatred." As with the other two men Lanyon concludes that he believes "the cause to lie much deeper in the nature of man". Overall each of these meetings result in a similar view about Hyde which is that he is an evil man who inflicts people to hate him not just because of his nature but because of something much deeper. ?? ?? ?? ?? ...read more.